Apparatus and method for continuous video advertising

Abstract

An advertising system is described. An advertising system includes a storage module to store video advertising content. The advertising system also includes a server coupled with the storage module. The server to deliver a continuous feed of video advertising content to an interactive device and to adapt the video advertising content responsive to input received from the interactive device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 on a server system including one or more processors and memory for storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors: 
 receiving video advertising content; 
 receiving a request to schedule delivery of said video advertising content; 
 determining a schedule to deliver said video advertising content, including retrieving said video advertising content allocated to one of a plurality of time slots, resolving conflicts between said video advertising content allocated to a same one of said plurality of time slots, calculating the number of empty time slots, and filling said empty time slots with video advertising content not allocated to one of said plurality of time slots; 
 delivering said video advertising content according to said schedule; 
 assigning a first discount value to a first instance of a variable coupon and a second discount value to a second instance of the variable coupon, the second discount value being different from the first discount value, wherein:
 the variable coupon is related to the subject matter of said video advertising content; and 
 the first and second discount values are based at least partially on user view heuristics of a first user and a second user, respectively, wherein user view heuristics include information selected from the group consisting of:
 a type of advertising content previously requested by a respective user; and 
 a type of advertising content previously responded to by a respective user; 
 
 
 delivering the first instance of said variable coupon to a first client for display to the first user; and 
 delivering the second instance of said variable coupon to a second client for display to the second user. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising delivering said video advertising content as part of a play list to an interactive device and adapting said play list responsive to an input from said interactive device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining a schedule to deliver video advertising content includes assigning a time slot responsive to a bid placed for said time slot. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2  wherein said play list is adapted responsive to the selection of a context tag. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the value of said variable coupon is determined in response to detecting a similarity between a user's profile and a target profile. 
     
     
       6. A server computer system including one or more processors, memory, and one or more programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 receiving video advertising content; 
 receiving a request to schedule delivery of said video advertising content; 
 determining a schedule to deliver said video advertising content, including retrieving said video advertising content allocated to one of a plurality of time slots, resolving conflicts between said video advertising content allocated to a same one of said plurality of time slots, calculating the number of empty time slots, and filling said empty time slots with video advertising content not allocated to one of said plurality of time slots; 
 delivering said video advertising content according to said schedule; 
 assigning a first discount value to a first instance of a variable coupon and a second discount value to a second instance of the variable coupon, the second discount value being different from the first discount value, wherein:
 the variable coupon is related to the subject matter of said video advertising content; and 
 the first and second discount values are based at least partially on user view heuristics of a first user and a second user, respectively, wherein user view heuristics include information selected from the group consisting of:
 a type of advertising content previously requested by a respective user; and 
 a type of advertising content previously responded to by a respective user; 
 
 
 delivering the first instance of said variable coupon to a first client for display to the first user; and 
 delivering the second instance of said variable coupon to a second client for display to the second user. 
 
     
     
       7. The server computer of  claim 6 , further comprising instructions for delivering said video advertising content as part of a play list to an interactive device and adapting said play list responsive to an input from said interactive device. 
     
     
       8. The server computer of  claim 6 , wherein determining a schedule to deliver video advertising content includes assigning a time slot responsive to a bid placed for said time slot. 
     
     
       9. The server computer of  claim 7 , wherein said play list is adapted responsive to the selection of a context tag. 
     
     
       10. The server computer of  claim 6 , wherein the value of said variable coupon is determined in response to detecting a similarity between a user's profile and a target profile. 
     
     
       11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a server system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 receiving video advertising content; 
 receiving a request to schedule delivery of said video advertising content; 
 determining a schedule to deliver said video advertising content, including retrieving said video advertising content allocated to one of a plurality of time slots, resolving conflicts between said video advertising content allocated to a same one of said plurality of time slots, calculating the number of empty time slots, and filling said empty time slots with video advertising content not allocated to one of said plurality of time slots; 
 delivering said video advertising content according to said schedule; 
 assigning a first discount value to a first instance of a variable coupon and a second discount value to a second instance of the variable coupon, the second discount value being different from the first discount value, wherein:
 the variable coupon is related to the subject matter of said video advertising content; and 
 the first and second values are based at least partially on user view heuristics of a first user and a second user, respectively, wherein user view heuristics include information selected from the group consisting of:
 a type of advertising content previously requested by a respective user; and 
 a type of advertising content previously responded to by a respective user; 
 
 
 delivering the first instance of said variable coupon to a first client for display to the first user; and 
 delivering the second instance of said variable coupon to a second client for display to the second user. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer readable storage medium of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions for delivering said video advertising content as part of a play list to an interactive device and adapting said play list responsive to an input from said interactive device. 
     
     
       13. The computer readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein determining a schedule to deliver video advertising content includes assigning a time slot responsive to a bid placed for said time slot. 
     
     
       14. The computer readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein said play list is adapted responsive to the selection of a context tag. 
     
     
       15. The computer readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the value of said variable coupon is determined in response to detecting a similarity between a user's profile and a target profile.